MBA 704
Evening Section - Fall 2013
SYLLABUS MBA 704
LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT AND CAREER ENHANCEMENT
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." —
John Quincy Adams
“I want my identity back. I don't want to be known as the CEO of AOL Time Warner... I'm my own person. I
have strong moral convictions. I'm not just a suit. I want poetry back in my life.”- Gerald Levin, former CEO of
AOL Time Warner (the world's largest media company)
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Professor of Practice:
Phone (cell):
Email:
Office Location:
Office Hours:
PLACE/TIME:
Evening Sections
Ronnie S. Grabon
336-706-1621
rsgrabon@uncg.edu
Bryan 344E
Mondays and Wednesdays 4:30 – 6:00
and by appointment
Monday
Wednesday
6:30 to 9:20
6:30 to 9:20
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Through assessment and feedback, leadership strengths and developmental needs
are identified to enhance career strategies and competencies. There are no prerequisites for this course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course students will:
 Demonstrate enhanced self-awareness regarding personality, cognitive style, conflict style,
interpersonal orientation, and use of leadership skills in the workplace;
 Be able to describe the challenges of managing diversity in terms of individual differences in
personality, cognitive style, conflict style, & interpersonal orientation;
 Be able to develop an individualized career strategy to include a personal marketing plan and an
industry/company analysis;
 Be able to identify goals and strategies for managing the next stage of career.
 Understand diversity and globalization in terms of both individual and broader cultural differences
E VALUATION AND GRADING: This course will be graded S/U. Criteria for passing:
 Complete all assessment instruments and assignments by due date.
 Demonstrate comprehension of assigned readings and contribute to class activities.
 Attend all classes – in an emergency, please contact professor in advance to arrange make-up.
 Satisfactory grade requires: attendance, clear classroom contribution, all assessments taken and all
assignments completed at a professional level (3.0) appropriate for graduate students.
POLICIES: Attached are links for several important policies:
Faculty/Student Guidelines:
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/faculty_student_guidelines.pdf
Academic Integrity Policy:
http://sa.uncg.edu/handbook/academic-integrity-policy/
Inclement Weather:
http://www.uncg.edu/cap/commuter/weather.php
MBA 704
Evening Section - Fall 2013
ASSIGNMENTS (full text of assignments on blackboard):
Networking: Attend three networking events. They may be local, professional, networking events or Bryan
Career Services & Internship Programs or University Career Services events during the fall semester. (ex:
Career Fair, Schmooza Palooza, BB&T event). Paper covering contacts made and networking lessons learned is
required. (30 points – 10 each)
Informational Interviews Paper: 2 - 3 page paper summarizing one informational interview. Interviewees
must be in a career or organization you are considering working in or with an individual two levels above you in
your current field or organization. Interviews should highlight: the individual’s career choice, personal
development, career possibilities within the organization and your continued interest (or lack thereof) in this
career or company. Please provide the name, position and organization for the interviewee and the questions
that you prepared prior to the interview. (20 points)
Presentations and Discussion:
Book: Read one popular book on leadership or career.
Company: Research one local company (it can be your own) and interview at least one person from that
company. The company may be the same as one that you used for your informational interview but the person
should be different. If it is a company that you are working for currently, please seek out someone at least two
levels above you and in a different function. Areas of inquiry should include at least one of the following:
organizational values, culture, innovation, change or leadership. Your research/interview should highlight the
relationship to class materials and ideas from the book that you read.
Presentation: Make a 5 - 10 minute in-class presentation on the most important ideas in the book, how
they relate to class material and most importantly; their application to the company that you selected.
End of Semester Summary: Maintain an on-going summary of at least one useful idea from each
presentation. At the end of the semester select one idea/learning that you found helpful for the long term and
explain why in a 1 -2 page paper. (40 points – 20 for presentation, 20 for summary chart and paper)
Goal setting/development plan (20 points)
This will involve two goals: one should be interpersonal – i.e. how you will use your assessment data to
develop greater strengths in a given area; the second goal should be focused on career development – either in
your current career or a plan for gaining an internship and/or changing your position.
Cover letter, resume and linkedin profile (30 points)
Reflection Papers: These are short (1-2 page) papers relating class materials to your life and/or
leadership/career situations that you have experienced (use examples from articles or current news/politics
where you have not encountered similar situations). (40 points - 10 points each) Sample questions below:
 How did this week’s assessment/discussion relate personally to you and your experience?
o What ideas did you value, what skills will you try, what questions do you have?
 What material or article did you read; include a specific example of how the material applies in
an external situation?
 Describe a specific leadership challenge and explain how that week’s material relates to the
handling of that situation.
 Choose a leadership or career blog and relate the materials to the ideas expressed in the blog.
Participation: This is a participatory class. There are reading and research assignments outlined in the syllabus
and on blackboard that are required for class participation. Not completing these assignments will affect your
MBA 704
Evening Section - Fall 2013
participation grade and your ability to pass this course. Contribution to linkedin forum will count towards
participation. (20 points)
Course Materials include:
Personal learning journal
Book chosen from list or approved by instructor
Course Assessments include:
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Materials
FIRO–B and Materials
Change Style Indicator
Thomas Killman Conflict Instrument
CareerLeader Assessment and materials on website
Useful Links
Bryan Career Services:
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/gcs/index.html
Lists of local employers:
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/gcs/postings/triad.html
CareerShift Online job board:
http://www.careershift.com/?sc=uncgbryan
CareerBeam:
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/gcs/exploration/login.html
Quintessential Careers:
http://www.quintcareers.com/
UNCG Library:
http://uncg.libguides.com/csc
WSJ Leadership articles:
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/leadership.html
NYT Corner Office:
http://projects.nytimes.com/corner-office?scp=1-spot&sq=corner%20office&st=cse
Fast Company Leadership:
http://www.fastcompany.com/topics/leadership
MBA 704
Evening Section - Fall 2013
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1
Developing class structure and models for learning and development
 Introductions and class structure
 Accountability for class
 Develop model of learning – mindset
 Develop model of interpersonal growth – assessment, challenge, support
 Planning the semester – informational interviews, networking, book/company presentations
 Assigment
 Create linkedin profile with business photo
 Complete Myers Briggs and FIRO-B assessments
Week 2
Creating a vision for a sustainable life
 Values – personal and organizational
 Life strategy and balance
 The role of your personal interests in your work life – networking around interests
 Strategies for succeeding once you get the job – “Begin with the end in mind”
 Assignment
 Reflection paper - Creating a ‘life vision’ combining the information on values, life strategy and
balance. It may be graphic or written. (10 points)
Labor Day Week – No Classes
Week 3
Networking/Self awareness – individual style
 Networking
 Developing self awareness using the Myers Briggs
 Discussing the role of self awareness in leading self and others
 Assignments
 Reflection paper on Myers Briggs. What did you find accurate, inaccurate, what do you still
have questions about. Confer with friends and/or family members to reflect on accuracy from
the perspective of others. Use examples from life experience. (10 points)
 Develop a 1 minute presentation that combines your ‘elevator speech’ and a comment on the
most important point of the career blog/article you read this week. Upload the text.
Week 4
Career Strategy – networking and presentation skills
 Identify the parts of the recruiting toolkit – networking, cover letters, resumes, company
profiles, interview skills
 Networking to hire others
 Prepare for and obtain informational interviews
 Developing presentation skills – Improv
 Book presentations: Values, Career, Leadership Presence or Life Strategy
 Assignments
 Bring a hard copy of your resume and cover letter to class
 Develop 5 interview questions that are difficult to answer.
 Upload resume and cover letter: target a position appropriate for you (20 points)
MBA 704
Evening Section - Fall 2013
Week 5
Career – resume/cover letter and interviewing
 Using the resume and cover letter to tell your unique story
 Completing the job search package (e-mails, thank you notes, follow-up)
 What is important in interviewing others and in being interviewed – discussion
 Book Presentations on Values, Career, Leadership Presence or Life Strategy
 Assignments
 Complete Careerleader – print and bring full results to class – read thoroughly. Be prepared
with thoughts, questions, areas of further exploration.
Week 6
Career – making choices
 Careerleader design and recommendations
 Careerleader values, motivations, 360
 Book presentations on Values, Career, Leadership Presence or Life Strategy
Week 7
Diversity and Organizational Values
 Social Identity – identifying background and core identity
 Book Presentations on Organizational Values, Diversity, Globalization
 Assignments
 Paper on informational interview due ( 20 points)
Week 8
Self Awareness – team dynamics and goal setting
 FIRO-B and team dynamics
 Setting Developmental Goals
 Book Presentations – any topic
 Assignments
 Reflection paper on FIRO-B: what did you find accurate, inaccurate, what do you still have
questions about. Confer with friends and/or family members to reflect on accuracy from the
perspective of others. Provide real life example of FIRO dynamics. (10 points)
 Have draft of two developmental goals
Week 9
Managing in a Global World
 Diversity and globalization
 Factors (personal and corporate) that help us work with diverse teams both here and abroad
 Book Presentations – Diversity and Globalization
 International student’s perspectives
 Assignments
 Reflection paper on your strengths and weaknesses in working in a global organization. Find
and reference at least one article about the skills necessary for working in a global
organization. What development do you need and how will you obtain it? (10 points)
Week 10
Self Awareness – developmental goals
 Coaching Others to meet their goals
 The role of the coach or mentor in your development
 Book Presentations – Coaching and Mentoring, Development
MBA 704
Evening Section - Fall 2013
 Assignment
 Come prepared with a draft of your developmental goals
Week 11
Self awareness – coaching
 Peer group coaching
 Assignments
 Submit final developmental goals (20 points)
Week 12
Managing in a Changing World
 Managing change and innovation
 Book presentations – Change, Innovation
 Assignments
 Paper on networking assignment due (30 points)
Week 13
Managing in a World of Conflict and Stress
 Managing conflict, stress, resilience
 Closing Thoughts
 Assignments
 Book summaries: summary paper on book presentations due. (20 points)
 Assignments
 Final reflection paper on the class as a whole. What skills do you need to continue to work on,
how will you continue to support your development throughout the program. (10 points)